The Darkness Within
by DragonLord15
Summary: Post- Season Two. After the events on Malachor, Ezra is still not healing the way he should be, and Kanan wishes Ezra would let him in. When they encounter an agent of the Force, he might get more than he hoped for. A 'Watch the Show' fic.
1. Chapter 1

The Force.

The ever present, the all-knowing. The creator and destroyer of life. It had no body, no mind, yet a will of its own. It influenced everything; nothing happened withouts its approval. It surged with power, power that was neither good or evil, light nor dark. It just was. It did as it pleased.

So when the Force entered the Guardian, he was not surprised.

From his position on the floor, the Guardian stirred from his meditation. If the Force was visible, someone who walked into the room would see a vortex of light surrounding the Azanti, buzzing and chattering in an unknown tongue.

Core Neori opened a vivid green eye and gazed about the sparse room. A bed lay against the wall, covered with a slight coat of mold. A small chest rested underneath, padlocked and chained shut. There was no door, only a round opening that never failed to look like the throat of some gigantic beast, the pathways through the temple its digestive system. The moist cave walls kept the room at a chilling temperature, and he grimaced when a drop of water splattered between his eyes. The abandoned temple was not on his list of preferred living spots. But it was hidden, and had been found by no one.

Sad, really. He'd been here for a thousand years, and had not had a meal since before he had landed on Bakura. He was, in all honesty, quite famished.

The Force floated all around him, tickling his outstretched proboscises. He smiled.

"So." His voice vibrated through the still room, a deep timber, unused. "You wish me to leave. Why now?"

If the Force answered, only Core heard it. "Yes," he responded. "I have seen what you have described. It is...disturbing, to say the least. I fear that not even my intervention will stop it."

Core paused, listening, then chuckled. "What you say is true, my friend. There are indeed many paths." He frowned. "However, I doubt the boy even knows of his own importance. If he is indeed as powerful as I believe he is, it will not long before it is known and he is tempted by his power. If it hasn't happened already."

The vortex of Force shifted slightly, and Core scoffed. "Show him? You know the risks of showing the future-" He hesitated as the Force chirped in his ear. "Ah. I see. What about the teacher?"

Core was confused. "He must see as well? And the others?" He nodded. "So be it."

The Azanti stood, stretching his cramped muscles. He closed his eyes once more, spreading out his consciousness outward, searching. _Where are you?_

There. On a VCX-100 freighter, hovering around the Lothal system. He saw the signatures of the crew, counting. Yes, they were all there. Opening his eyes he strode toward the bed and pulled out the locked chest. With a wave of his hand the chains snaked away and the lid popped open. He pulled out his twin lightsabers, the hilts fitting into the worn grooves of his hands. He ignited them and the room was flooded with a purple hue.

"I'm coming," the Guardian whispered. "Ezra Bridger."

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Light Years away, Ezra Bridger shivered.

He glanced up from the holochess game and looked around. Deep in the bowels of the ship he could hear the hiss of paint from Sabine's latest project, Zeb and Chopper were aboard the Phantom, making repairs, and Hera was piloting the Ghost. Nothing was out of the ordinary.

Yet he couldn't shake the feeling that something-or someone- had scanned its gaze over the Ghost.

But who was it looking for?

"Ezra?" He glanced up at Kanan, who was busy stroking his beard, gazing at the board. Or at least, Ezra thought he was. The bandage covering his eyes had slipped enough to see the inflamed red skin across his face. Ezra cringed, the guilt he had worked to bury resurfacing. It was his fault Kanan was blind, that Kana would never get to see again.

And he might never forgive himself.

"Ezra?" Kana's voice held a note of concern, and Ezra responded, "Yeah?"

"You okay?"

"Fine."

Kanan's brow furrowed. "Don't lie, I can feel you're upset. What's wrong?"

Ezra sighed. He ran a head over his newly-shaved head, and it felt weird without his long strands of hair. It had been a spontaneous movement on his part. One day he had attacked it with Hera's clippers. He didn't really know why he had done it. Maybe to try to remove some of the weight off his shoulders. Whatever the reason, shaving his head hadn't helped, and only gained him curious stares from his friends. "I...Just for a moment, I felt like someone was watching us."

Kanan frowned. "Watching us how?"

"It felt like someone was probing my mind or something."

"Probing...for what?"

Ezra shrugged, then remembered Kanan couldn't see him. He never would again. "I don't know."

His master hummed. "An Inquisitor, maybe? The Sith Lord we encountered on…"

He didn't finish his sentence, and a fresh wave of guilt threatened to crush him. It was also his fault that Ashoka was...Ashoka…

He swallowed. "It...it didn't feel evil. If it wasn't an Inquisitor or the Sith, and if it definitely wasn't Maul...then who was it?"

"I don't know. But from now on I want you to examine your shields every day and make sure they're in place. We both will."

Ezra was saved from a response by the arrival of Hera, the automatic doors announcing her presence. "Ezra, I need you to go help Zeb and Chopper on the Phantom. Seems there's something wrong with the navigation system.

Ezra nodded and left the room with a surprising lack of complaining.

When Ezra was gone,Hera sank next to Kanan with a sigh. "How is he?"

Kanan rubbed his unseeing eyes. "I'm not sure. He's been blocking me lately. There's hardly a moment when his shield aren't up. Just before you came in he was telling me that he felt like something was probing his mind."

Hera looked at him in alarm. "Was there something-"

Kanan shook his head. "I didn't feel anything." The Jedi leaned his elbows on the table, disrupting the unfinished game. " I think...I think he's just being paranoid. We're still so high-strung, especially Ezra."

Hera touched Kana's shoulder, and he leaned into her warmth. "What happened there, Kanan?" she whispered. "What happened to Ezra?"

She wished she could take back her words. The Jedi tensed, sitting up. "Hera, I've told you all I know," he said curtly. "But Ezra…He won't talk me, Hera. He's ignoring the bond, I don't know how to fix this, I don't know how to help him if he won't tell me what's wrong!"

Hera clutched Kanan as the man ran his fingers through his slightly-greasy hair. "Just give him time, love," she whispered soothingly into his ear. "Let him work through his thoughts. He'll heal. We all will."

Kanan groped for her hand, and Hera set her smaller hand gently into his. He squeezed, their calluses rubbing together. "You're right," he breathed.

She smiled her stunning smile. One that Kana would never see again. "I often am."

Kana chuckled. He laid a soft kiss on her hand as she stood. "I'm going to check on the kids. Need anything while I'm up?"

Kanan shook his head. "Go ahead. I'll stay here and...meditate."

As Hera's footsteps faded he took a deep breath and opened his mind.

The Force flowed around him; reaching out, he could feel the signatures of the crew, tiny pulsing balls of heat. He located Ezra; it wasn't exactly difficult to distinguish his padawan's signature from others. He reached a little further...only to stumble back as a solid wall blocked him from continuing. He knocked on it gently. _Ezra. Come on, let me in._ There was no response save a flare of anger.

Kanan sighed as retreated back to his own body. Hera was right. Maybe what Ezra needed was more time. He would talk to Kanan when he was ready.

He hoped.


	2. Chapter 2

**I am...so sorry for taking so long! I know you all probably hate me! I was really busy with my book and getting ready for my senior year and having scholarship interviews and all that crap. I will update as often as I can, but it might be a little slower than in the past, especially now that I have four stories to update. Anyway, don't hate me! Love you all, and enjoy!**

When Ezra left the room, he didn't head immediately to the Phantom. He paused in the hallway, half-hoping to hear a snippet of Kanan and Hera's conversation, and too tired to care if it was about him. The smell of paint from down the hall flooded the cramped space with nowhere to go. Sabine had a new project, then. He wondered what it was. He wandered if it had something to do with him.

He continued on.

Zeb's furry head snapped up as he entered the Phantom, and Chopper warbled a greeting. "About bloody time," the Lasat grumbled. "I can't get the damn thing to work."

Without a word Ezra slithered in front of Zeb and frowned at the screen. Numbers and codes flashed across the surface, like one of Sabine's color bombs. Finally, he spotted the problem, and pointed it out to Zeb. "Looks like one of the conduit wires shook itself loose. I'll have to crawl in and fix it."

The Lasat clapped him on the back, smirking. "Looks like the perfect job for you, small fry."

Anger bubbled in his chest, a flow of red-hot lava. Spinning around, he slapped Zeb's hand away. "I'm not little, Zeb!"

Clutching his smarting hand into a fist, Zeb growled, " Karabast, kid! What was that for?"

Ezra sighed, the anger that had erupted without warning disappeared. "Sorry. It's been a long day."

Zeb gazed at him with a troubled expression, and as Ezra climbed into the Phantom's crawlspace he could feel Zeb's eyes drilling a hole in his back.

Amidst the wires and switches, Ezra allowed himself a small breath of relief. Ever since Malachor, the Ghost had felt suffocating in its closeness. It had never bothered him that he had a family to care for him; now it seemed he could never get a moments peace. He was tired of the crew walking around him on eggshells, pretended not to notice the looks thrown over his head.

 _Anger gives you strength, and gives you focus. Use it toward your advantage._ That was what the Sith holocron had said last night, when he managed to grab a quiet moment in his and Zeb's room. Yes. He was angry. Angry at Maul for tricking him, angry at Kanan for constantly trying to get him to talk about his feeling, and most of all...he was angry at himself. It was his fault, after all. He fell for Maul's tricks. And it cost Kanan his eyes and Ashoka her life. He really was a stupid padawan.

And deep in the bowels of the ship, he allowed himself to cry.

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"Hera."

The Twi'lek swiveled around in her pilot's chair, finished setting a course for Nar Shaddaa. "Yes, love?"

Ezra shuffled further into the cockpit, head ducked. "You called for me?"

Hera nodded, serious. She pointed to the copilot's seat, and Ezra sank into it with a sigh. For a few minutes neither spoke, gazing at the vast expanse of stars and distant, unknown planets.

It was Hera that broke the silence. 'What's going on, Ezra?"

"Nothing."

She eyed him. "We both know that isn't true." She fell silent, waiting for his response.

"I've...I've been having bad dreams."

That part was true. He couldn't remember the last time he had gotten a truly good night's sleep. How could anyone get any rest when every time you closed your eyes you saw mounds of blood and piles of dead bodies that watched you with accusing, rotting eyes.

Hera frowned. "For how long?"

"...for a while, I guess."

Her eyebrows creased and she touched his forehead, as if she was feeling for a fever. He leaned into the contact, her hand warm on his skin."You do feel a little clammy," she murmured. "Maybe I should give you some medicine-"

Ezra shook himself free. "I'm fine. I don't need medicine, Hera."

"Bull." He blinked. "You need a good night's sleep. Maybe more than one. I can't have a sleep-deprived teen running missions, now can I. Besides, this doesn't just affect you." Her tone switched into what Ezra and Sabine secretly called her 'mom' voice. "Zeb told me you snapped at him today. Wanna talk about that?"

He looked down in shame. She was right. He shouldn't have taken his frustrations out on Zeb. This was his problem, not the rest of the cew's. "I'm sorry, Hera."

"I'm not the one who needs an apology." She reached out a hand and pulled into a one-armed hug. "I'm going to give you some medicine to help you sleep, and you're going to take it for a while, at least until you get back on your feet. Understood." Ezra nodded, and she ran her fingers over his scalp. "You don't have to heal alone," she whispered. "Don't shut me out. Don't shut Kanan out. We want to help. Keeping in all your feelings...it's not healthy, Ezra. It will find other ways to express itself. Look what happened to Zeb today." She rubbed his shoulders-shoulders that were gaining muscle, she had to admit. "I won't make you talk until you are ready. But just keep that in mind." She let him go, playfully flicking him in the ear. "Go take a shower, stinky boy. I'll bring you some medicine in a while."

He smiled- Gosh, how she missed his smile- and said, "Thanks, Hera."

"You're welcome," she said softly, but he had already gone.

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"My Lord."

The cowering servant gulped as his master turned to face him, face hidden in shadows. "Speak."

"The rebel ship known as the Ghost has landed on Nar Shaddaa, as you predicted."

Despite the shadows, the servant swore he saw his master give a crooked grin. "All is going according to plan. Tell Shark to finalize his plan to capture the Bridger boy. Remind him that he is not to be killed, and if he fails, that I will hang his worthless pelt on my wall." His master waved him away, and he was all too quick to respond.

When he was alone the man chuckled. The stories that circled the lower levels of humanity had whispered about a Jedi and a padawan, rebels on some self-righteous quest. The man cared nothing about the war. The boy, however…

The Force was strong with him. Perhaps stronger than his master.

And that strength, in a few short hours, would be his.

"I'm coming for you, Ezra Bridger."


	3. Chapter 3

"Remind me what we're doing here again?" Ezra asked, struggling to keep up. The busy sidewalk crawled with different species, from regular people to Zabraks with cold eyes. Everywhere he looked there was something to sell; the noise of the venders pierced his ears with a roar, like distant thunder.

Here answered him without looking. "Commander Sato received an anonymous tip that a man on Nar Shaddaa could tell us all we wanted to know about the Empire; number of ships, locations of factories, even which planets currently hold the Empire's attention."

"So he sent us out here to find him."

Hera nodded without looking, staring straight ahead. "The man told Sato that he would be waiting in a certain bar called ' The Wind.' If this guy is willing to trade secrets, we could do some serious damage against the Empire."

Ezra didn't respond, wading through a crowd of Rodian children, sprinting to catch up with Hera. "Why didn't you take Zeb? If this guy was being uncooperative, Zeb could always threaten to smash his head in."

This time she glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "Zeb would attract too much attention, and we need to adopt a low profile. There are plenty of people here who would gladly call the Empire up for our bounty." She gave him a small smirk, lekku twitching. "Don't worry. As long as you stay near me, we'll be in and out in no time."

"I'm not scared," he mumbled as he followed in her wake.

As they delved deeper into the city, the very air seemed to become tainted. The shoppers changed into dangerous-looking characters, openly staring as they passed. Instead of books and treats for sale, stalls now sold bottles of poison, knives, and bounty-hunting gear.

"Here," Hera said, ducking into one of the many sleazy taverns outlining the street, and Ezra quickly ducked in after her. The air inside was heavy with the scent of smoke and unwashed bodies, hazy with deceit and corruption. Ezra tried to ignore the stares of the patrons as he followed Hera to a back table shoved into a corner. A figure sat there, nestled deep in the shadows like a butterfly in a cocoon. A cloak was wrapped around his bulky frame, and his face was hidden in the shadows.

Hera sat down on one side, Ezra on the other. Nobody said anything for a moment, watching the other customers turn back to their drinks. Finally Hera asked, "Are you one who trades in secrets?"

The figure turned toward her, face still hidden. "Yes. I am the dealer of things hidden in darkness."

Hera glanced at him, then answered, "Are you the one who sent us a tip?"

"Hmmmm. That depends. I send lots of tips." His greasy voice sent shivers down Ezra's spine. "The more important questions is this: What can you offer me in return?"

Hera took something out of her pocket and laid in on the dungy table, her lekku twitching. "For information about the Empire, I am willing to pay 100,000 Imperial credits."

The man hissed, perturbed. "I don't want your worthless credits!" He raised a hand and shoved the card back to Hera. For just a moment, as his hand entered the dim light, Ezra spotted white skin and five fingers. _A human. This guy is a human._

Hera sat, face as cool as stone. "What is it you want, then?"

"Hmmm," the man said, cocking his head to the side. "In my kind of work, deals aren't made with money, but with goods and, of course, bits of information." He leaned in closer, though still remaining in shadow. Whispering, they both had to strain to listen over the noise of the crowd. "If you tell me what you can about your little rebellion, I'll consider it an even trade."

Immediately Hera shook her head. "No way. For all we know, you could turn around and sell the information to the Empire."

The man laughed, a cool, slimy sound. "Of course! I see no friends or enemies, just business opportunities." He pointed a finger at Hera, chuckling. "Didn't you bother to learn the rules before you ventured out here, little Twi'lek? If you wish to obtain something, something of equal value must be given**. Are you desperate enough to give me what I want?"

Ezra glanced around as Hera lowered her eyes in thought. "Hera, we can't. It isn't worth it."

The man whipped his head around to stare at him. "Ahh, I must admit, I forgot you were here, little one. And what might your role be in this little rebellion?"

Ezra growled, hackles raised. "None of your business."

"Ahh, but you see, that's exactly it. Everyone's business _is_ my business." He paused, and Ezra felt his eyes rake down his body from top to bottom, then back again. "You know," he said, turning again to Hera. "I know a fella in the city who's looking for a young boy. If you sell him to me, I'll give you the information you want."

Ezra glanced at Hera. _Slavery? They wouldn't! Surely they wouldn't!_ A trickle of true fear snaked its way in, freezing his blood into tiny chunks of ice. Memories came flooding back unbidden. _Please don't do this!,_ he begged silently. _I don't want to be alone again! I'll do whatever you say, I promise!_ A small voice whispered in his ear, _But what if they don't want me back? After all the trouble I've caused, I can't say that I blame them. Maybe this is revenge for Ashoka._ But even as he thought this, Hera slammed her fist on the wood, lekku writhing like serpents.

Hera snarled, "No way in hell! Ezra's not some piece of property to be sold! He's a person, and a member of our team!"

"Then I'm afraid our deal is over." Before either of them could blink, the man whipped a blaster from his pocket and shoved it into Ezra's side. "Now, let's go, kid. I've got other business to attend to."

"Ezra!" Hera made to rise, and the man cocked the trigger.

"Please sit, Miss Syndulla. I would prefer not to get blood on my coat today." With a worried glance at Ezra, she complied. "Now," the man said, turning to Ezra. "Here's what's going to go down. At my command you will stand up with me and walk out of the building. If the Twi'lek tries to follow us, I'll blast a hole in your side." Ezra swallowed. "If at any point I think I am being followed, I will shoot you without hesitation. Am I clear?" The man looked at Hera. Despite the anger simmering in her eyes, she simply nodded.

"Oh, and one other thing." The man leaned in close, and Ezra gagged at his sour breath. "I currently know where you little ghost is docked. If you try any of your Jedi tricks on me and try to escape, I'll have it blown up."

Ezra froze. _How does he know I'm a Jedi? How does he know our names?_ He looked across at Hera. _What have we gotten ourselves into?_

"Let's go." The man jabbed the gun into Ezra's side, and with a wince he stood. He could feel Hera's eyes burning into him as the man pushed him to the door and out of sight of the furious captain.


	4. Chapter 4

"Where are you taking me?" Ezra snarled, trying to weasel his way out of the man's slender hands.

"Quiet, child," the man said calmly, jabbing the blaster into Ezra's side for emphasis. "You don't want to make a scene."

Ezra huffed, but stopped fighting as they emerged onto the busy street. The sun had crept farther across the horizon, throwing ominous shadows over the faces of passersby. The man squeezed his right shoulder, steering him onto the crowded sidewalk. He tried to steal a last glance at the bar they and left, but it had been swallowed in the growing darkness.

They walked in silence for a while, Ezra trying and failing to catch the eyes of those they passed. The man had removed his hand from Ezra's shoulder, but kept the blaster pointed dangerously close to his femoral artery. Darkness fell completely. The only signs of life were the smell of smoke and lights flashing in sleazy bars that dominated this district.

"Stop." Ezra did as he was told. They were in front of what looked like an abandoned warehouse, all grimy walls and cloudy windows. The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a key and with one hand proceeded to unlock the rusted metal door. Ezra tensed. This could be his chance to run.

He had just taken a step away from the building when a sharp pain sent him to his knees with a cry. He gasped in pain, clutching the small blaster burn that had appeared on his right leg. "I warned you," the man said softly, the barrel of his blaster smoking. "You can run, scream, cry; it doesn't matter. People around here learn to keep their hands on their wallets and their eyes straight ahead. You have no friends here." He jerked the muzzle, indicating that Ezra should stand. "Up. We are here."

Ezra stood, trying to ignore the pain as his wound brushed the edge of his suit. Tears pricked his eyes but he shoved them aside. He would not let the man think he had broken him. He strode forward, making sure there was no obvious limping. The open door looked like the gigantic throat of some huge monster. Ezra walked into the darkness, wondering if this would be his last time looking at the sky.

The inside looked exactly like the outside would suggest. As his eyes adjusted, he could make out piles of boxes covered with dirty, smelly tarps. As the walked deeper, the sound of their footsteps echoed hauntingly in his ears, and despite himself he shivered.

Eventually Ezra began to notice small lights zig-zagging through the crates, a crooked path leading to who knew where. Time seemed warped, twisted; had they been walking two minutes, or two hours? Neither of them spoke, and Ezra only had his jumbled thoughts and the pain in his leg for company. _Where is this guy taking me?_ He definitely wanted something, either from Ezra himself or from the Ghost crew. Rebellion secrets, maybe? The more he thought about it, the more he thought that unlikely. If the man had figured out he was a Jedi, he definitely knew how to find the Rebel's base. So, what then?

Ezra was jerked from his thoughts by the sound of voices and when he glanced up he saw that the path lead to a huge open area, crates surround fencing in the group of men standing in the middle next to a huge fire. Ezra hesitated. What if they meant to kill him after all? The man shoved him in the back, making his decision for him.

The men stopped talking as he stumbled into the flickering light. Now that he was closer he could see that only two of the five were actual humans. A red and black Zabrak studied him with angry red eyes, a blue Twi'lek fingered her blaster, lekku twitching, and a muscular Dug snarled at him, hands clutched protectively around what smelled like charred meat. One of the humans, a skinny man with a long, gray beard, stepped forward. "This is him, Shadow?" he asked in a voice cracked with age. "You didn't harm him, right?"

The man-Shadow- answered with a voice like silk, "He tried to run, and suffered the consequence." He continued as the old man frowned. "It's a small wound, nothing major. You should know by now, Gabrial, that I don't damage my merchandise."

 _Merchandise?_ "I thought you traded in secrets?" he questioned, turning toward Shadow.

Even with the firelight shining straight at him, he somehow managed to keep his face in the shadow of his cowl. "Sometimes secrets are won through other means." He turned toward the old man, leaving Ezra floundering. _I'm being sold?!_

Over the pounding of his heart, he heard Shadow say, "I expect my payment at the usual drop point by morning." He bowed slightly. "Pleasure doing business with you."

Gabriel bowed in response. "The pleasure is mine."

And with one final sweep of his cape, Shadow was gone.

He turned back to the group, trying to settle the fear that battered his ribcage like a wild animal. The firelight distorted their features, their silhouette shimmering like a mirage. If Ezra had believed in a hell - he wasn't too sure - this would have been the picture to come to mind; a gang of unworldly demons crawling up from the fiery depths.

"Shark."

The other man stepped forward, though Ezra couldn't make out his features. He strode confidently over to Ezra, grasping what Ezra thought was rope. _Move, dammit!_ He shouted to himself, but his body betrayed him and remained frozen in place.

He tried not to cry as Shark roughly tied his hands behind his back, wincing as blood was cut off because of the knots. He shivered again, and Shark chuckled darkly. "Are you scared, little Jedi?"

"N-no," Ezra stammered, trying to throw some confidence in his voice.

It fooled no one.

Shark barked. " We're not here to kill you, if that's what you were thinking." He turned Ezra around, pulling on the rooms to ensure they were tight. "Nothing personal, kid."

Something was plunged into his neck, a cold fluid pumped into his veins, and he knew no more.


	5. Author Update

...I LIVE!

I'm so sorry I haven't updated! Senior year is kicking my butt hardcore. But the real reason I haven't updated my stories is because I finally started my novel! Yeah for me!

Anyway, as I've said before, I will be finishing these stories and I plan to update after my graduation. Expect the stories to be infrequently updated because I'm trying to get a first draft of my book done by September. Once I get a first draft completed I will take a break and finish updating all the stories I am currently working on.

Thank you guys so much for your patience, and you mean the world to me.

Until next time!


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